Disclaimer: I do not own StarGate or it's characters I'm just borrowing them.
Author's Note: Clair de Lune is an OC
Daniel sat at the kitchen table with his cup of coffee waiting for Jack and the others to come. He could hear the sounds of Clair awake in the bedroom. Soon the sound of bare feet padding on the floor could be heard. Daniel could only hope that Clair would be honest and answer his questions.
"You left me." Clair pouted. She stood there wearing nothing but a t-shirt that had the logo of the college that Daniel went to on it. She walked over to the kitchen table and took the coffee mug that was in front of Daniel. With a smile she took a sip humming in satisfaction.
"That was mine you know." Daniel pointed out. He just shook his head. Pushing his chair back he got up and went to the cupboard with the coffee mugs in it. Daniel fixed himself another cup of coffee and sat back down.
"What time is it?" Clair asked. She set her cup down and stretched yawning slightly. She picked the cup back up and took another sip. The lights being on in the house indicated that it was a little later than she thought.
"It's around six in the evening." Daniel offered. It was around noon when he had found Clair and figured that it was probably a good thing to let her get some rest. Daniel was jarred out of his thoughts when a knock on the door sounded. Before he could react Clair got up and rushed to the door.
Daniel hurried behind Clair to find Jack, Samantha, and Teal'c starring in shock. Mortification began to set in. Daniel could tell he must be ten shades of red. Clair just beamed happily at the trio.
"You must be friends of Daniel's." Clair greeted. She motioned for them to come in. The three walked passed her with odd looks on their faces. Clair shut the door and joined Daniel at his side. The atmosphere became rather awkward.
"Jack we aren't interrupting anything are we? You said you had a situation so we came as soon as we could." Jack wondered. He wasn't going to judge his friend because if Daniel wanted to have a girl over that was his business.
"No, Jack you aren't interrupting anything. This is Clair de Lune and she is the situation Jack." Daniel explained. Daniel lead them all into the kitchen and gestured for them all to sit down. Teal'c and Samantha eyed Clair suspiciously.
"Daniel I do believe you have forgotten your manors. Who are your other friends?" Clair inquired. Clair looked at Samantha and Teal'c with curiosity. She got up and began making coffee for Daniel's guest.
"Teal'c, Major Samantha Carter, and Colonel Jack O' Neill." Daniel introduced his friends. He knew this was going to be a rather interesting predicament. It didn't matter though because he knew he was going to need their help with this.
"Daniel Jackson what is going on and how do you know this woman" Teal'c spoke. His expression was as stoic as always. His eyes followed Clair around the room as she placed cups of coffee in front of everyone. What kind of situation could Daniel have found himself in this time?
"Clair is the daughter of one of my foster parents. I found her when I came here for the book. She was in the shower with blood on her," Daniel explained. Daniel wasn't sure at this point what to think about anything. "Clair can you please explain to us what happened?" Daniel inquired.
Clair plopped herself down on the kitchen counter and sighed. "All I remember was that my father was really mad at me because he wanted me to marry some stuck up stock broker, but I politely declined. Daddy dearest dragged me by the hair into the bathroom where he proceeded to hold my head down into a tub full of water. He held me down for so long that I couldn't breathe. I must of blacked out because the next thing I remember was being covered with blood and I was high tailing out of that house and I somehow ended up here." Clair explained. She took a sip of her stolen coffee and sighed.
"What the hell? What kind of father would do such a thing?" Samantha exclaimed. She looked at Clair sympathetically. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have such a cruel father.
"He was an abusive bastard that's the kind of father he was," Daniel offered. He clutched his coffee mug tight. "I lived there from the age of fifteen to eighteen and left as soon as I could." Daniel explained.
"Was your foster father abusive to you too?" Samantha asked. A look of concern graced her face. She had no idea that Daniel had been through something like that.
"No, it was only Clair. If he tried to do anything Clair intervened and would get punished twice as harshly." Daniel said. He wished he had tried harder, but a man like Richard de Lune was someone you didn't want as an enemy.
"That makes no sense Clair de Lune. Why would you do something like that?" Teal'c questioned. Teal'c didn't understand humans or their logic sometimes.
"I couldn't let my father ruin someone so beautiful. Daniel is genuinely good he is as beautiful on the inside as he is on the outside. My father would have destroyed him." Clair told everyone. She looked like someone who was discussing something as normal as the weather.
"So what is the situation?" Jack asked. Daniel was so cryptic on the phone that Jack had to admit it made him a bit worried. The problem had to be bigger than some old flame storming back into his life. It wasn't lost on Jack that Daniel already had this woman in his bed.
"Clair killed her father." Daniel answered. He was still trying to process that fact in his mind. He knew it was most likely the truth. Daniel watched as all eyes fell on Clair.
"Is this why they are here Daniel?" Clair inquired. She couldn't say she was surprised. She held out her arms and put her wrists together. "Okay then take me away because I'm not sorry" Clair stated.
Daniel shook his head and sighed. "No, they aren't here to take you away. I was hoping they would help figure out what happened." Daniel explained. Daniel wanted to try to help Clair if he could.
"How can we help? Where would we start?" Samantha wondered. Daniel was like family and she trusted his judgment. If there was something that could be done she would try.
"If we get an address we could go investigate Clair's home. Right Daniel isn't that what you want?" Jack suggested. Jack could now understand why Daniel was concerned.
"If it's okay with you Clair I could look you over for any wounds." Samantha offered. It was a good thing she brought her camera with her. It always paid to be prepared.
Clair looked over at Daniel and he gave his nod of approval. Clair jumped down from the counter and her and Samantha disappeared through the bedroom into the bathroom. Daniel knew that Clair would be in good hands.
"I know you know this was coming but I just gotta get this out there. Daniel did you sleep with that woman?" Jack asked. He wasn't going to sugar coat it.
"Jack I don't think that is any of our business." Teal'c pointed out. He understand why Jack wanted to know, but he could tell Daniel was uncomfortable. Jack shot Teal'c a look that he knew meant he wasn't going to just drop the subject.
"God Jack if you really must know yeah I did." Daniel confessed. Daniel knew it would come down to this. Jack was under the impression that Daniel was some kind of intergalactic womanizer. Sure Daniel knew that most of the time Jack's insinuation was just a joke, but sometimes he had to wonder if Jack really believed it.
"In all fairness Daniel Jackson it was kind of obvious." Teal'c admitted. Teal'c wasn't going to judge though. He wasn't familiar with human mating rituals.
"All I'm going to say Danny is damn." Jack smirked. Jack laughed as Daniel flipped him off. It was funny to see Daniel get all flustered.
Meanwhile in the bathroom...
"Can I ask you to remove your shirt?" Samantha asked. She knew it was an awkward situation to be in, but she was going to try to make it as painless as possible.
"Sure thing. Are you a doctor or something?" Clair asked. She lifted the shirt up over her head. Clair wasn't sure what Daniel was thinking getting his friends involved, but she would trust him. She knew Daniel wouldn't do anything unless he thought it was necessary.
"Yes, I've had medical training," Samantha replied. She slowly looked over Clair's body for any obvious signs of a struggle of any sort. She notice some marks on Clair, but was sure they were from her earlier activities. Inwardly she shuddered it was like walking in on your brother or something. "Can I ask you something? Did you and Daniel have sex?" Sam asked.
"I'd say we did," Clair replied. She didn't see why it should matter. "It's not like it's a big deal or anything is it?" Clair asked.
"I just had to ask that's all." Samantha explained. She really didn't want to have this conversation it was awkward for her.
"You don't have a thing for him or anything do you?" Clair inquired. Clair was certain Daniel would have other women it wasn't like she expected he would be hung up on her or something.
"Oh heavens no Daniel is like a brother to me that's all," Sam clarified. Sam knew she walked right into that one. "Can I have you lift up you hair?," Sam asked. Sam didn't need Daniel's glasses to see the finger sized bruises along Clair's neck. She took some pictures for evidence.
"Daniel didn't do that just so you know." Clair spoke. She didn't want Daniel's friends to get the wrong idea. She already knew that they probably didn't think much of her.
"Of course he didn't," Samantha agreed. She knew Daniel wasn't like that. "You can put your shirt on now." She said. Sam needed to tell the others about the bruises.
Back in the Kitchen...
The guys watched as the ladies reemerged from the bathroom. Clair plopped back down on the counter and Samantha returned to her seat. It was obvious that Sam had something to share.
"How did it go?" Jack asked. He was normally the lets get down to business kind of person. It was always best to get things out in the open.
"I found some bruises on Clair's neck." Samantha told them. In her opinion if Clair killed her father it most likely was in self defense.
"I should have noticed that." Daniel berated himself. He was more determined now to find out what happened. Clair shouldn't have to go through the things she did.
"I'm fine Daniel really." Clair assured. It wasn't like he could have stopped her father. There was no need for him to blame himself.
"Well it looks like what we need to do now is check out Clair's house." Jack stated. He was sure they could find clues there. He just hoped that Daniel wouldn't get himself in too deep with the woman.
"I agree Jack." Teal'c confirmed. He didn't completely understand what Daniel's past was with this woman, but he was willing to help if he could.
"Tomorrow will probably be best since it's getting kind of late. Teal'c and I will go and Sam can keep working on translations if you have the book." Jack said. He figured it was best if Daniel kept an eye on Clair.
"Sure," Daniel said. He got up and went to the bookcase in the living room and found the book he needed. He handed it over to Samantha who put it in her bag. "Thanks guys." Daniel added.
"No, problem Danny boy. We have some time anyways." Jack said. He just wished Daniel would learn to keep it his pants, but he doubted he would learn that lesson.
The three got up to leave and Daniel said goodbye to them at the door. He knew he could trust them. He made his way back to the kitchen where Clair was waiting. She was humming absentmindedly looking through the cupboards.
"What are you doing?" Daniel asked. He wasn't really use to having people just going through his things. Clair though was never very big on personal boundaries. Daniel knew he was probably asking for trouble, but there was something about Clair.
"I'm hungry. Is there any food here?" Clair asked. She peeked into the cupboards. She didn't notice until now just hungry she was. It must have been hours since she last ate.
Daniel came to stand next to her and joined her in the search. He managed to rummage up a package of Ramen. "I'm afraid this is all I have. I don't often eat here much so I'll have to go shopping." Daniel offered in way of apology.
"That will be just fine." Clair smiled. She didn't care what she ate as long as she got something in her stomach. She watched as Daniel rummaged through a drawer and pulled out what looked like a candy bar.
"Here take this it's an energy bar it will hold you over." Daniel said. He handed her the energy bar. He got a pot and filled it with water and put it on the stove. It would be better than nothing at all. He glanced over at Clair as she ate the energy bar. He was going to have to get her some clothes too. He was pretty sure she didn't bring anything with her.
The water came to a boil and Daniel put the noodles in. Thank goodness Ramen doesn't take long. He drained the noodles and mixed in the flavor and put it in some bowls for them. He placed a bowl in front of Clair along with a fork. He sat down with his and began to eat.
"Thanks it's really good." Clair complimented. Even the energy bar tasted like gold. She hoped that she wasn't going cause any problems being here.
"No, problem," Daniel smiled. Daniel got up and retrieved a couple of wine glassed and fished out a bottle of Zinfandel. "Ramen and wine now that's classy." Daniel laughed. He poured a glass for Clair and for himself.
"Yes, very classy." Clair smiled. She took a sip. She had to admit it was nice to be with Daniel like this again. She finished off her food and took another sip of wine. "I've missed you Daniel, really I have." she confessed.
"I know and I'm sorry that things got so bad for you." Daniel said. He took a sip of wine and watched Clair from across the table. He wasn't going to lie there were moments and times when he had thought about her and wondered what had become of her.
Clair got up and took the empty bowls. "The least I can do is wash up." Clair offered. Clair turned the water on and set to washing. Clair hummed some song to herself as she washed the dishes.
Daniel stood behind her and pulled down her shirt collar and looked at the bruises. Daniel felt a pang of anger towards Clair's father and himself. Maybe he could have brought her with him. "I'm sorry he did this to you." Daniel said. He brushed his lips along the bruises.
"Daniel,"Clair gasped. She wasn't going to blame anything on him his life had been just as bad as hers if not worse. He watched his parents die at the age of eight and than was bounced from foster home to foster home. Clair turned off the water once the dishes were rinsed and she put them away. She turned in Daniel's arms to face him she took his face in her hands. "Daniel you're dangerous to a girl like me because I know I can't keep you. I'll sleep on the couch tonight." Clair decided.
Daniel was totally confused now. "What do you mean?" he asked. He followed Clair out to the living room. Clair busied herself with preparing the couch for bed. "Clair you had better answer me dammit." Daniel demanded.
"For someone so smart you're awfully stupid Jackson." Clair said. She continued on with her preparations for bed. She honestly didn't think she would have to spell it out for him.
"Okay fine spell it out for me then maybe I will get it." Daniel replied. What was it about Clair that got to him? She could be so infuriating at times.
"I L.O.V.E.Y.O.U." Clair responded. She turned to look at Daniel and the look on his face was priceless. She had never seen him so speechless before. She hated herself for it, but he did ask for it.
Daniel felt like someone sucker punched him in the stomach. Of course he had known, but he just didn't see it or maybe he didn't want to. Even when they were younger he should have known. What was he supposed to say? Daniel just walked away and went into the bedroom. Maybe it was for the best to just sleep on it.